Total Expenditure on Moving to the UK

This post can give you an idea of your total expenditure on your moving to the UK after getting your first job in the UK. It does not include the expenditure on PLAB.

Breakdown of Expenses

Tuberculosis Test

£50

Police Clearance

£15

NICOP

£60 – £120

Protector Stamp

£50

Shopping

£0 – £500

Tier 2 Visa fee

£597

Immigration Health Surchage

£200 – £600*

Airplane Ticket

£400 – £600

Intercity travel

£0 – £100*

Accommodation Rent

£0 – £1,500*

Intracity travel

£20 – £100 per month*

Food

£10 – £15 per day*

Groceries

£100 – £200 per month*

Bills and Council Tax

£0 – £200*

Unseen expenditures

£0 – £500

Total

£2,000 – £6,000

Immigration Health Surcharge*

Immigration Healthy Surcharge costs £200 per year. Therefore, the amount we pay for this depends on the length of the trip mentioned on the certificate of sponsorship. My certificate mentioned a year-long contract. So I paid £200 for this.

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Intercity Travel*

If your job is in Manchester or London, you might not need to spend anything on the train ticket. If your job is far from an airport, you might need to book a train ticket from the airport to your accommodation.

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Accommodation Rent*

Rent can vary depending on your accommodation. Most landlords take a month or two’s rent in advance. However, if you choose hospital accommodation, you might not have to pay anything and your rent might get deducted from your first pay cheque.

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Intracity Travel*

If you live at walking distance from the hospital, you might not have to spend on the daily commute. If you have a town center at a walking distance, you might not spend anything on going to the markets either. But to be on the safe side, it is best to expect a little expenditure on this.

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Food and Groceries*

This depends on your lifestyle and on the number of your dependents.

Bills and Council Tax*

This depends on your accommodation. Most hospital accommodation rents include bills and council tax deductions, so we don’t have to pay for them separately.

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Factors Affecting Total Cost

The total cost of your journey depends on the following factors:

The length of your trip on the CoS.

How early you arrive before the start of your job.

When you get your first paycheque.

Your lifestyle.

The number of dependents you bring.

The presence of family and friends in the UK.

Whether your accommodation is private or hospital-financed.

Whether you have to pay rent before you arrive.

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Rough Estimate Only

Of course, the numbers mentioned above are supposed to give you only a rough idea. The cost of your own journey to the UK might be different, based on the factors mentioned above.

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Tips for Keeping the Expenditure Low

Ask your hospital about the payday.

Ask your hospital the deadline for joining if you want to get paid the same month.

Get a bank account as soon as you land in the UK so you can get paid the same month.

Choose hospital accommodation.

Reach the UK only a few days (not weeks) before the start of your job.

Make sure your health/occupational health check is sorted out. You do not want to wait for a health/occupational health clearance for a few weeks before starting work. The best way to sort this out is to communicate with your HR.

My Experience

Since I paid only £200 for my CoS, I arrived only a week before my job, I got my first pay cheque in three weeks, I have family and friends in the UK, I had hospital accommodation, I did not have to pay any rent in advance, I was single and I spend money cautiously, the total expenditure was less than £1,700 for me.

Conclusion

The total cost varies a lot depending on the factors mentioned above. Depending on your circumstances, your planning and your luck, you might be able to bring this cost down significantly, like I did.